What is Das Lakshman
Das Lakshana (often written as Das Lakshan) is a Digambar Jain festival of ten days after Paryushan. Each day is dedicated to one supreme virtue (Lakshana) of the soul, guiding practitioners to inner purification and better conduct.
The ten Uttam Lakshanas are:
- Uttam Kshama — Supreme Forgiveness
- Uttam Mardava — Supreme Humility/Gentleness
- Uttam Arjava — Supreme Straightforwardness/Honesty
- Uttam Shaucha — Supreme Purity
- Uttam Satya — Supreme Truth
- Uttam Sanyam — Supreme Self-restraint
- Uttam Tap — Supreme Austerity
- Uttam Tyag — Supreme Renunciation
- Uttam Akinchanya — Supreme Non-possessiveness
- Uttam Brahmacharya — Supreme Celibacy
Key point: these are the tenfold virtues highlighted in the Digambar Das Lakshana Parva. Shvetambar Jains observe Paryushan for eight days (ending with Samvatsari), while Digambar Jains follow Das Lakshana Parva for ten days and end with Kshamavani (Forgiveness Day). The spirit across both traditions is similar: self-purification, forgiveness, and ascetic discipline. You can read more here